Joy in Birthing

Your pregnancy can go quickly or can drag on and on. Especially the last few months can be the longest months you have experienced in your life. Some women are so “done” with their pregnancy they are ready to do anything to get the baby out. Induce and even schedule a cesarean birth for they say they cannot take it any more.

Here we are clearly dealing with perception. It is your mind that lives in the past or the future, your entire body and all your senses only live in the moment. The mind is usually the culprit of many of our emotions gone array. We spend so much time remembering what happened, and dreaming about what is to come, that we miss what is.

Your baby will come when it is his/her time. If you really think about it, once he/she will be out here you would never rush him… “Come on can you eat faster! Grow faster! Crawl faster!” You will be patient and loving. You will wait for him as he slowly takes his first step. Why do you think this is any different?

Nevertheless, your doctor can suggest a medical induction at this point, so before you take that route here are some natural ways you can help the process along.

Relaxation techniques

Tension works against labor. Relieve it, let everything go, and you may be surprised to find yourself in labor. To get you relaxed use some visual imagery. Hypnosis has been known to really do wonders with tension. I have heard of women going into labor after a good cry. A good cry relieves tension, get a real tearjerker movie and let it reap.

Sex has long been a method of inducing labor, making use of the Prostaglandin in semen and orgasm as a stimulating contraction. It is often more relaxing than using Pitocin and is done at home rather than at the hospital. I know some of my clients simply do not feel like having sex in the last month of their pregnancy, but it beats a cesarean and medical induction. It will not arms the baby, and if you can find a comfortable position female orgasm can open the cervix of 2cm. If you really are not in the mood try using his sperm by inserting it in your vagina as close to the cervix as you can.

Nipple stimulation can be done successfully and uterine hyper stimulation may be avoided by following this protocol from Maternity Nursing: Family, Newborn, and Women’s Health Care by Reeder, Martin and Koniak-Griffin:

• roll nipples between thumb and forefingers for 2 minutes
• rest for 3 minutes
• repeat rolling/resting for 20 minutes*

*increase rolling to 3 minutes and decrease resting to 2 minutes for 20 minutes if inadequate contractions occur after initial 20 mins.

Enemas

This causes the bowels to contract and could cause the uterus to contract, which will open and efface the cervix. Use with caution.

Exercise

Walking, swinging in a swing and general exercise contracts the uterus. Stay on your feet.

A bumpy car ride may sound like an old wives tail, but if the baby is not in a good position, your sitting and relaxing while being moved by the car through bumps has worked.

Several herbs are used by midwives to induce labor or to stimulate contractions. Care should be taken NOT to take any of these herbs without first conferring with a midwife, physician, and herbalist. These labor-enhancing herbs are:

• Blue Cohosh* (alone or in combination with other herbs such as Black Cohosh)
• 5W: Combination of Black Cohosh, Squawvine, Dong Quai, Butchers Broom, and Red Raspberry
• Evening Primrose Oil: ripens the cervix
• Castor Oil*

*If you do decide to go ahead and use castor oil, I personally think that four ounces sounds a bit much. Three teaspoons is about right – try mixing it with some juice or pour it over a salad (tuna salad is a good alternative). A word of caution, castor oil can give you cramps and diarrhea if you know how you react to laxatives (strong ones) then you know if you want to use this method during labor and delivery

When it comes to natural induction know that if your body is not ready nothing will work. Also try a visit to a chiropractor (knowledgeable of the Webster technique), an acupuncturist and/or a reflexologist. While no official evidence exists regarding acupressure and inducing/stimulating labor, many perinatal specialists (midwives, physicians, childbirth educators and doulas) confirm the relationship between acupressure points and increased uterine contractions.

The child inside you is preparing to come into this world and that is a big job. Enjoy these last few days where you can hold her next to your bosom 24/7, once she will be born it will be a slow but sure path of separation and strive for independence.

Pamper yourself, talk to your child, and visualize together the birthing experience you will have. Tell him you are ready to wait until he is ready to come. If you can, take the last two weeks off from work and truly focus on the event to come. Remember to laugh too, rent or go see funny movies, enjoy this time you have. Please know that it is ok for a baby to come out as late as two weeks after the due date, ask your care practitioner how they feel about letting you wait safely. Don’t rush into things, let go and let the perfection of nature lead you.